Updated ‘Blade Runner’ only worth it if you don’t already have it

Warner Bros. is at it again: double-dipping. It’s (coming up on) Christmas, so I’ll cut them a little slack, but not much.

Available today is a new “Blade Runner” set; updating the previous sets (which I reviewed back in January 2008). And I’m here to tell you that if you already have it, you don’t need this one because it’s essentially the same set. The only addition that I can tell is a new BD-Book packaging for the 3-disc version (and I prefer the blue plastic case version myself) and a 1,000+ image gallery. The gift set has a few extra things that die-hard collectors might want anyway, but that’s a personal preference.

Details on the new gift set, from the press release:

Disc 1—The Final Cut
• Introduction to the Final Cut by Director Ridley Scott

Here’s a comparison of the two gift sets: the new one on top and the “Deckard Briefcase” edition on the bottom. Note the different “Spinner” car replicas; one’s painted and one is silver.

Again, from the press release:

The set also boasts never-before-seen production photos with more than 1,000 archival images presented in hi-definition, a 72-page production art book with printed versions of the newly discovered art, a collectible Spinner car replica from an official concept sketch conceived by Blade Runner’s visual futurist Syd Mead, and collectible motion lenticular card. In addition, included are all 10+ hours of bonus content from the critically acclaimed 2007 Ultimate Collector’s Edition. It also includes an Ultraviolet digital copy of the “Final Cut” film (which doesn’t come in the 3-disc set).

Bottom line: Only you know if you’re sufficiently geeky enough about this movie to want to shell out for the upgraded gift set. But if you own the 2008 “Collector’s Edition,” then you don’t need to upgrade to the 3-disc version.